2015 tour de france stages

Stages of the 2015 Tour de France

An inside look at each day from the Grand Depart in the Netherlands to the finish on the Champs-Élysées

Stage 1: Utrecht; Saturday, July 4, 14km ITT

Stage 2: Utrecht to Zeeland; Sunday, July 5, 166km

Don’t let its near perfectly horizontal profile fool you: Stage 2 could be much more challenging than it looks. Wind will play a factor as the final 40km follow the North Sea coastline through the heart of the Zeeland Delta, a place known more for kite surfing than cycling. The finish line sits on Neeltje Jans, an artificial island built as part of a long dam that protects the region from storm surges. Why It Matters It is the first chance for the sprinters to earn a stage win, and if they rode a fast time trial in Stage 1, they may also collect the yellow jersey thanks to time bonuses offered on the finish line. But with wind expected to play a role, it is also a day in which GC teams will need to be on the lookout for echelons. If a team like Tinkoff-Saxo decides to try and push the pace, unsuspecting squads could get caught off the back, possibly losing minutes. Who to Watch In 2009 and 2013, Etixx—Quick-Step’s Mark Cavendish won field sprints at the end of stages featuring powerful crosswinds . With a team built for hard racing in adverse conditions—and a possible yellow jersey to protect for Tony Martin—Cav and his team have a better chance than any other to dominate Stage 2.

Stage 3: Antwerp to Huy; Monday, July 6, 159.5km

Stage 3 takes the Tour into Belgium for 159.5km beginning in Antwerp and ending in Huy, a town nestled in the hills of the Belgian Ardennes. With a difficult finale containing three categorized climbs—including a finish atop the Mur de Huy, a short but ferociously steep climb with pitches approaching 25%—this stage favors aggressive puncheurs , riders able to make sharp attacks in quick succession. Why It Matters While not a true summit finish, Stage 3’s challenging finale could offer some surprises—and perhaps a bit of disappointment for one GC contender or two. Two categorized climbs and a winding, technical descent will keep the favorites on their toes and positioning within the peloton will be important. At this year’s Flèche Wallonne, a one-day race with finish identical Stage 3’s, crashes were an issue as riders tried to stay at the front of the pack on the narrow Belgian roads . With an even bigger peloton at the Tour, we could see more crashes as riders fight to be at the front heading into the bottom of the final climb to the finish line. Who to Watch Favorites include Movistar’s Spaniard Alejandro Valverde, a three-time Flèche winner, along with his compatriots and fellow former Flèche-winners Daniel Moreno and Joaquim Rodriguez of Katusha. Etixx—Quick-Step’s Michal Kwiatkowski, the reigning UCI Road Race World Champion, would love to give his Belgian team an important stage win on home soil as well.

Stage 4: Seraing to Cambrai; Tuesday, July 7, 221.5km

It is clear that the Tour de France organizers think cobblestones are a worthy addition to the Tour, because for a second year in a row, they’re back. The longest day of the Tour, Stage 4 begins in Seraing, the town in which Peter Sagan won his first Tour stage back in 2012. The day’s only categorized climb comes early enough that a break will likely scoop up most of the points, but it is the seven cobbled sectors to come that will provide the day’s real fireworks. Six sectors totaling 11.5km are stacked within the final 46km of the stage, and it’s here that the battle for both the stage and the GC should emerge. Why It Matters If the Tour’s recent cobbled stages are any indication, at least one GC contender’s Tour hopes will be dashed by the end of the day due to a crash, a mechanical, or simply not being able to follow the rest on the cobblestones. For example, last year’s cobbled stage was pivotal, as Vincenzo Nibali of Team Astana added minutes to his lead while Chris Froome of Team Sky crashed out. Weather will play a role as well. July can be a rainy month in the north of France, and most riders will be hoping for dry conditions. As we saw last year, rain makes riding on cobblestones more treacherous. Who to Watch This year’s Tour is stacked with Classics stars who will be looking forward to Stage 4. Giant-Alpecin’s John Degenkolb won Paris-Roubaix in April, and Katusha’s Alexander Kristoff won the Tour of Flanders. Both will be top favorites. Astana’s Lars Boom won last year’s cobbled stage and would certainly love to win another. And of course, Fabian Cancellara deserves mention as well. Despite winning both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix three times in his career, Spartacus has never won a cobbled stage at the Tour.

Stage 5: Arras to Amiens, Wednesday, July 8, 189.5km

The first stage taking place entirely in France, Stage 5, looks on paper to be a typical day for the sprinters thanks to a rolling profile and no categorized climbs. But Amiens is only about 30 miles from the French coast, and wind could once again be a factor as the race winds its way through the region of the Somme. At several points near the end of the stage, the riders will make sharp turns that will take them in and out of the wind, giving strong teams another chance to break the race into echelons. What It Means If it is windy, this will be another hard day for the peloton and another stage in which the teams of the Tour’s GC contenders will join the sprinters’ squads at the front of the pack. But if the wind is calm, this should be a rather easy day ending in a field sprint . Who to Watch This will be a stage for the sprinters like Mark Cavendish, Alexander Kristoff, and Peter Sagan, and—if their teams are able to keep the race together by the end of what could amount to deceptively hard day in the saddle—Lotto-Soudal’s Andre Greipel and Etixx—Quick-Step’s Mark Cavendish.

Stage 6: Abbeville to Le Havre; Thursday, July 9, 191.5km

Stage 6 hugs the coast of France’s Seine-Maritime region, and it just might be the perfect day for a breakaway to succeed. With three categorized and several more uncategorized climbs, the tired peloton could have trouble controlling things after a challenging and inconsistent start to the Tour. An uphill finish in Normandy’s Le Havre should provide an exciting finale. Why It Matters With three Category 4 climbs throughout the day, Stage 6 could provide a bit of a shake-up in the Tour’s King of the Mountains competition. Who to Watch Stage 6 is perfect for an aggressive rider with a penchant for winning from a breakaway. Europcar’s Thomas Voeckler and Lotto-Soudal’s Tony Gallopin come to mind. The uphill finish in Le Havre means that if the race does come back together, a sprinter suited to a more challenging finish, like Peter Sagan or John Degenkolb, should prevail.

Stage 7: Livarot to Fougères; Friday, July 10, 190.5km

Stage 7 might be the most straightforward stage of the Tour’s first week. The rolling 190.5km course includes only one categorized climb, the Category 4 Cote de Canapville, and it comes way too early (12.5km into the stage) to do anything more than provide an ideal launch pad for the day’s long breakaway to escape. Expect the sprinter’s teams to control the rest of the day’s proceedings, right up until the finish in Fougères. Why It Matters With wind, cobbles, and climbs playing a role throughout the first six stages, today could be the first stage that ends in a traditional field sprint. That said, with Saturday’s uphill finish on the Mur de Bretagne and Sunday’s team time trial, the teams of GC contenders will be fighting with the sprinters’ teams to stay at the front and out of trouble, possibly creating a chaotic finish that could produce a crash or two. Who to Watch This is another day for the sprinters where the usual suspects—Cavendish, Greipel, Kristoff, Sagan, and Degenkolb—will try to win one last stage before the Tour hits the mountains.

Stage 8: Rennes to Mur de Bretagne; Saturday, July 11, 181.5km

Similar to Stage 3, Stage 8 ends atop a short, steep climb – in this case, the two-kilometer “Wall of Brittany.” The climb was last featured in 2011 when Cadel Evans out-sprinted Alberto Contador to win Stage 4. Evans later went on the win the Tour overall. Narrow roads will also be a factor, as Brittany is famous for roads barely wider than footpaths. Why It Matters The run-in to the final climb will be tense, and there could crashes as teams try and position their leaders at the front. Time gaps will not be large at the finish, but with time bonuses on the line for the first three finishers, the GC could see a minor shake-up before Sunday’s crucial team time trial. Just moving up one spot on the GC could give a team a later start time, which means information on the times being posted by any team starting earlier. Who to Watch While there are certainly bigger mountains still to come, Stage 8 could be Contador’s first chance to show his competitors that he’s feeling no lingering fatigue after his victory in May’s Giro d’Italia . He would love to steal a few seconds from the likes of Astana and Movistar before the next day’s TTT.

Stage 9: Vannes to Plumelec, Sunday, July 12, 28km TTT

he Tour de France last included a team time trial (TTT) in 2013, a 25km stage in and around downtown Nice. This year’s TTT is much different. Basically a straight shot from Vannes northwest to Plumelec, the course offers few turns, but includes several rolling hills before the final uphill drag to the finish. Why It Matters After Stage 1’s short, 14km race against the clock, there are no more individual time trials in the 2015 Tour de France, which makes this team time trial all the more important. Teams will need to measure their efforts carefully. If they go too hard too soon, they will fade before the climb to the finish. Teams that fare well will give their riders a solid cushion heading into the Pyrenees. Teams that don’t will be forced to go on the attack to try and make up time. Who to Watch BMC is the current Team Trial World Champion and is the top favorite to win Stage 9 after winning a TTT of a similar length during June’s Criterium du Dauphiné . Led by former World Hour Record holder Rohan Dennis, the team should give American Tejay van Garderen a leg up before the race enters the high mountains for the first time. Astana, Orica-GreenEdge and Movistar should also fare well. As for Team Sky’s Chris Froome, he’s probably wishing Stage 9 were an individual time trial, as he would stand a far greater chance of gaining significant time over his rivals than he does while riding with his team.

Stage 10: Tarbes to la Pierre-Saint-Martin, Tuesday, July 14, 167km

After the Tour’s first Rest Day, the race enters the Pyrenees with the introduction of a new climb, the hors categorie (above category) ascent of la Pierre-Saint-Martin. After starting the day in Tarbes, the race arcs to the west, covering three Category 4 climbs along the way. The final climb begins gently in Arrete, 24km from the finish line, but the official start of the hors categorie ascent to the summit starts with 15km to go. The first 10 kilometers are the steepest, with pitches averaging close to a 10%. The climb gets gentler with 5km to go but steepens again in the final ramp to the line. Why It Matters The stage after a Rest Day is always a tough one as riders struggle to regain their racing legs after a day of active rest. Throw in the first hors categorie climb of the Tour, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Expect at least one of the pre-race contenders to have a jours sans while the real favorites for this year’s Tour begin to emerge. It is also Bastille Day, France’s Independence Day, so the roads will be packed with fans, and French riders will be extra eager to please them. Who to Watch This stage has Nairo Quintana’s name written all over it. Movistar’s tiny Colombian climber possesses an uphill acceleration few can match. If he has lost any time during the first week, expect him to make it up here. Chris Froome and Vincenzo Nibali are also riders to watch. When they won the respective 2013 and 2014 Tours, they seized control of the race with dominating performances on the Tour’s first high summit finish. If they want to win a second Tour, they will likely try and put their stamp on the race on la Pierre-Saint-Martin. And don’t rule out French climbers like AG2R La Mondiale’s Romain Bardet or FDJ’s Thibaut Pinot. A Bastille Day victory on the Tour’s first summit finish would be a dream come true for either Frenchman.

Stage 11: Pau to Cauterets, Wednesday, July 15, 188km

For riders still in a state of shock following Stage 10’s first summit finish, Stage 11 will only make matters worse with a 188km stage featuring six categorized climbs , including the legendary hors categorie Col du Tourmalet. The stage ends in Cauterets after a Category 3 climb to the finish. It is not as challenging a finish as the previous or next stage, but it will hurt nonetheless. Why It Matters In 2013, the day after Chris Froome took the yellow jersey on the Tour’s first summit finish, he almost lost it when his team cracked under serious attacks from Garmin and Movistar. That left Froome alone mid-way through a challenging stage that featured five major climbs. Any team that goes too deep during Stage 10 could find itself in trouble here. Stage 11 will also be a major battleground in the Tour’s King of Mountains competition, so expect someone to go on the attack early, looking to take a big lead in the polka dot jersey competition. Who to Watch Sandwiched between two hors categorie summit finishes, this stage is a bit of a wild card. The GC favorites will certainly have their hands full with one another, possibly giving a few lesser riders a chance to escape in a bid to win the stage and King of the Mountains points. Katusha’s Joaquim Rodriguez might be a good candidate for the win. Between the first week’s wind, cobbles, and time trials, the Spanish climber might find himself too far down the GC to make an impact overall, perhaps freeing him to focus on stage wins and the polka dot jersey instead.

Stage 12: Lannemezan to Plateu de Beille, Thursday, July 16, 195km

The third of three tough days in the Pyrenees [http://www.bicycling.com/tour-de-france/tour-features/postcards-pyrenees], Stage 12 ends with a summit finish atop the Plateau de Beille, and it is a doozy. At 195km, Stage 12 is one of the longest in the Tour, and there’s not a straight road in sight. The day starts in Lannemezan and winds its way southwest over three categorized climbs including the Col de la Core and the Port de Lers, both Category 1 climbs. The stage ends with the 15km, 7.9% hors categorie climb up Plateau de Beille, which is making its sixth Tour appearance. Why It Matters After two challenging days in the Pyrenees, Stage 12 will break many riders—especially if the weather has been hot . For the second day in a row, the team holding the yellow jersey could have its hands full defending it on a series of winding, technical roads. Deeper teams of climbers like Movistar and Cannondale-Garmin might choose to send riders up the road early, forcing the team in yellow to chase from a long way out. If they’re lucky, a breakaway will escape filled with riders a long way down on GC. If that happens, we might see a cease-fire as the main contender’s teams look ahead to the Alps still to come. Who to Watch If breakaway stays away to the finish, expect it to contain Europcar’s Thomas Voeckler. In 2004 and 2007, the Frenchman went into stages finishing atop the Plateau de Beille wearing the yellow jersey—and valiantly defended it. If he’s managed to save some energy during the previous two days in the mountains, he might try and go for the win on a climb he knows very well.

Stage 13: Muret to Rodez, Friday, July 17, 198.5km

A classic transitional stage, this long day sees the race put the Pyrenees in the rearview mirror. But while there are no major passes, it’s anything but flat. The profile is relentlessly up and down all day, a kind of terrain the French call casse-pates, or leg breakers. In typical ASO fashion, the race organizers list three categorized climbs , but one of the steepest and longest stretches, a climb to La Primaube just 10km from the finish, isn’t even marked. Why It Matters For the challengers, the goal is to go unnoticed all day. They will want to stay quietly in the pack, eating and drinking as much as possible to recover , all while expending just enough energy to stay in the front third of riders and out of as much crash danger as possible. For the rest of the field, it is a stage that’s tailor-made for a breakaway. Who to Watch The final, unmarked ascent to La Primaube should produce the winner - either from the day’s original break or a late counter-move. Today is a good day for an Ardennes-style rider. Look for a team like Orica-GreenEdge, which doesn’t have a traditional GC contender but is excellent in breaks, to drive the move. And any team whose overall hopes have hit the gutter will be active as well.

Stage 14: Rodez to Mende, Saturday, July 18, 178.5km

This is an extremely tricky stage. It’ll be contested on small, winding roads, and the profile defies easy tactical planning: lumpy to start, then an almost perfect false flat for close to 70km and then three climbs in the final 40km, including the steep Cote de la Croix Neuve summit finish - which makes up in nastiness what it lacks in length. Why It Matters It is not a traditional Tour summit finish, and it’s rarely used. No major race has finished here since 2012, and the Tour last visited in 2010, when Alberto Contador was second. So riders like Contador will use their familiarity with the steep early portions to launch attacks, while other riders who haven’t seen it - like Tejay van Garderen - may be forced to be more cautious and follow wheels. Today is a day when tactics will win out over raw strength; it’s all about the right move at exactly the right moment. Who to Watch The Croix Neuve climb favors powerful, punchy climbers who can do lots of damage in a short length of road - think Nairo Quintana and Contador. Gaps here may not be significant, but even 10 to 30 seconds could end up changing the tenor of the race by putting riders in a position of needing to attack to get time as there are no more time trials.

Stage 15: Mende to Valence, Sunday, July 19, 183km

With a mostly downhill course, Stage 15 seems on paper a good bet for a sprint finish. But after two weeks on the race, riders will be tired, and the course does feature one significant climb about two-thirds of the way into the day where breakaways may escape. Why It Matters To the overall contenders, today is another day to be quiet and recover. But for the rest of the field, it is game on - this is one of the last stages that could be a battle between sprinters and breakaway riders. Today, it is advantage sprinters: the last chance they’ll get before Paris. Who to Watch This is a good stage for a rider like Alexander Kristoff . The burly Norwegian has the engine to keep some top-end finishing speed, even at the end of long days. With 14 stages in the legs already, it is a day built for riders who recover well.

Stage 16: Bourg-de-Peage to Gap, Monday, July 20, 201km

The Tour heads for the Alps and its last major obstacles on this transitional stage that features two significant climbs. Late in the Tour, the texture of these stages changes as teams’ objective shift. Maybe there’s an early break to defend a polka-dot jersey lead. Or a team that has had no luck all race throws caution to the wind with a super aggressive ride that has unforeseen consequences to the overall. Whatever the case, what looks like it will happen on paper rarely does at the Tour. Why It Matters Expect a somewhat nervous day of racing for the leaders. It’s a hard stage: long, at 201km, and even when not on a climb proper, the road often tilts gently up all day. It’s the kind of terrain that saps already tired legs. And near the end looms the 9km Col de Manse. The climb is not the only difficulty; the descent to Gap is steep and twisty. Who to Watch With the final climb and steep, 12km descent to the finish, all eyes will be on Vincenzo Nibali, who’s got the legs to go up the hill better than almost anyone, and is accounted one of the finest descenders in cycling today. It’s a perfect situation for him to test his rivals and try to force one of them into making a mistake.

Stage 17: Digne-les-Bains to Pra-Loup, Wednesday, July 22, 161km

Many of the Tour’s main contenders previewed this route during Stage 5 of the Criterium du Dauphine in June. AG2R La Mondiale’s Romain Bardet was the winner that day, on an identical course. The day’s penultimate climb, the Category 1 Col d’Allos, is by far the toughest, but it’s the long, technical descent between the summit and the final climb to Pra-Loup where a real advantage can be gained. Why It Matters While not the biggest Alpine summit finish of the Tour, the Category 2 climb to Pra-Loup shouldn’t be underestimated. At 6.2km and with an average grade of 6.5%, it’s tough enough to generate some time gaps . Who to Watch With three more days in the Alps, including two difficult summit finishes, Stage 17 might be another chance for a breakaway to stay away to the finish line. Look for an out-of-contention climber to take the victory, or perhaps a rider trying to win the polka dot jersey as the Tour’s King of the Mountains.

Stage 18: Gap to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, Thursday, July 23, 186.5km

The second of the Alpine stages, this is the only day that isn’t a summit finish. The day’s primary difficulty is the nearly 22km long climb up the Col du Glandon, but there are six other categorized climbs on the day as well—among them the Lacets de Montvernier, just 10km from the finish, which is just 3.4km long but has a steady eight to nine percent grade throughout. Why It Matters You might see something of a cease-fire among the major contenders today. With a summit finish the previous day and two to follow, they may want to save their efforts for when they can do more damage. That could free the day up for a breakaway win. It’ll also be crucial to the King of the Mountains competition. Expect some lively racing up front. Who to Watch A day like today requires a special combination: a rider with the class and legs to win on a long, hilly day , but one who is not so high up that he is a threat to the overall. The most likely fit: a contender who suffered the dreaded jours sans earlier in the race and is now far enough down that he’ll be given freedom in a break. Stage 19: Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to La Toussuire / Les Sybelles, Friday, July 24, 138km The short, hard mountain stage is increasingly in fashion in racing these days. That’s because it often produces dynamic racing as riders are more willing to gamble with longer-range attacks. There will be plenty on offer as the race starts with a Category 1 climb right from the gun and finishes with the kick-in-the-teeth 18km ascent of La Toussuire. Why It Matters Unless one rider has emerged as clearly dominant by this point, this stage is a great chance for a strong team to try to crack a rival. The mountainous terrain, short distance and long summit finish are the perfect ingredients for an aggressive race. Powerful teams like Movistar or Astana could use this stage to try to dislodge the yellow jersey from a strong rider with a less team support.

Stage 19: Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to La Toussuire / Les Sybelles, Friday, July 24, 138km

The short, hard mountain stage is increasingly in fashion in racing these days. That’s because it often produces dynamic racing as riders are more willing to gamble with longer-range attacks. There will be plenty on offer as the race starts with a Category 1 climb right from the gun and finishes with the kick-in-the-teeth 18km ascent of La Toussuire. Why It Matters Unless one rider has emerged as clearly dominant by this point, this stage is a great chance for a strong team to try to crack a rival. The mountainous terrain, short distance and long summit finish are the perfect ingredients for an aggressive race. Powerful teams like Movistar or Astana could use this stage to try to dislodge the yellow jersey from a strong rider with a less team support. Who to Watch The finish at La Toussuire is long and moderately steep, but the steepest bits are at the bottom. That, and it’s relatively constant gradient, are good news for a rider like Chris Froome , who thrives on a metronomic-like cadence and consistency. If under attack, look for Froome to simply “ride to the watts” to bring back his rivals, then launch his own signature high-cadence, short-duration move to get away.

Stage 20: Modane Valfrejus to Alpe d’Huez, Saturday, July 25, 110.5km

Even shorter, at 110.5km, this penultimate stage is the last chance for any change in the overall. There’s 31 kilometers of climbing early on, then a long, gentle descent to the valley floor before the final climb up Alpe d’Huez , where all the action will happen. Why It Matters The mountaintop finish as the next-to-last day has been a feature in several recent Tours, and it’s also been a bit of a wash as far as major upsets go. Today could be similar. But with a rider like Nairo Quintana in the field, nothing is assured. In 2013, Quintana tried to crack Chris Froome on the last mountain stage. He wasn’t successful, but his efforts shifted the podium behind them. Who to Watch Alpe d’Huez is mythic in cycling lore, and as the last chance to make any move in the standings, so the race will be a seesaw battle for last chance breakaways and GC contenders. Who emerges at the top - for the stage or for the yellow jersey - is anyone’s guess.

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Tour de France 2015 route

We list the stages of the official route of the Tour de France 2015, as well as taking a look at some of the key points of the race

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The peloton on stage nineteen of the 2014 Tour de France

The 102nd Tour de France began for the 21st time outside of France, in the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands.

>>> Your guide to the 2015 Tour de France in Utrecht (video)

Stage one was a short 13.7km individual time trial within Utrecht, which was won by BMC's Rohan Dennis in a record-breaking time .

The first week of 2015 Tour had a very classics feel to it, with stage three finishing for the first time ever on the climb that culminates  La Fleche Wallonne , the Mur de Huy. Cobbles featured for the second year in succession, although drier weather this year meant less mayhem for the front-runners than in 2014. Meanwhile, the Mûr-de-Bretagne provided a tough uphill finish to stage eight.

An unusually late team time trial on stage nine led into the first race day. After that, serious GC racing will begin after on stage 10, with the 2015 Tour's first summit finish atop La Pierre Saint-Martin, which features for the first time in the race's history.

Three days in the Pyrenees (July 14-16) were followed by a series of transition days across the southern edge of the Massif Central (July 17-19) which included a finish on the fast and punchy ‘Montee Laurent Jalabert’ above Mende.

After Alpine summit finishes at Pra Loup and La Toussuire (where Chris Froome fatefully attacked Bradley Wiggins in 2012), the penultimate day of the race was a short stage of 110km ending on Alpe d’Huez.

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As ever, the Tour finished on the Champs-Élysées in Paris for the sprinters' showdown which was won, almost inevitably, by Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) as the German claimed his fourth victory of this year's race.

Tour de France 2015 stages

Stage 1: Saturday July 4, Utrecht – Utrecht (Ned) (ITT) 13.7km

Tour de France profile stage 1_2

This flat 13.7km individual time trial is the only one to feature in this year's Tour. It was won in an eye-wateringly fast time by BMC's Rohan Dennis , who claimed the race leader's yellow jersey to continue an impressive start to 2015 .

Stage one highlights:

 Stage 2: Sunday July 5, Utrecht – Neeltje Jans (Ned) 166km

Tour de France profile stage 2

This flat stage was earmarked from the start as one that could be difficult in strong winds — and the weather gave the fans ( if not the riders ) exactly what they wanted. Andre Greipel sprinted to the stage win , but the big winners were Fabian Cancellara, whose time bonus for finishing third was enough to hand him the yellow jersey, and Chris Froome and Alberto Contador , who opened up more than a minute's advantage over Nairo Quintana and Vincenzo Nibali.

Stage two highlights:

Stage 3: Monday July 6, Antwerp – Huy (Bel) 154km

Tour de France 2015 profile stage 3

Stage three's finish on the Mur de Huy climb, the climax to the course of Spring Classic La Flèche Wallonne, was always likely to be a significant moment in the early portion of the race. Chris Froome produced a memorable surge to finish second on the stage and take the overall yellow jersey.

Stage three highlights:

Stage 4: Tuesday July 7, Seraing – Cambrai (Fra) 221km

Tour de France profile stage 4

The Classics-style fourth stage featured seven secteurs of cobbles across an epic 223.5km route that's the longest of this year's Tour. It didn't quite live up to the mayhem of last year's brutal cobbled stage, but the image of Tony Martin breaking free to finally claim the yellow jersey of 2015's race put a smile on the faces of cycling fans everywhere.

Stage four highlights:

 Stage 5: Wednesday July 8, Cambrai – Amiens 189km

Tour de France profile stage 5

André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) took his second stage win of the Tour on the flat stage to Amiens, beating the likes of Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo) and Mark Cavendish (Etixx - Quick-Step). It was another stressful day of the Tour for the riders, blighted by wind, rain and crashes.

Stage five highlights:

Stage 6: Thursday July 9, Amiens – Le Havre 191km

Tour de France profile stage 6

Zdenek Stybar (Etixx-Quick-Step) took the win on the small climb to the finish of stage six, but the headlines went to teammate and race leader Tony Martin, who fell in the final kilometre and suffered a suspected broken collarbone.

Stage six highlights:

 Stage 7: Friday July 10, Livarot – Fougères 190km

Tour de France profile stage 7

Mark Cavendish (Etixx - Quick-Step) took his first victory at the Tour de France since 2013, after coming from behind to sprint past his rivals André Greipel and Peter Sagan to the line, on the final flat stage of the Tour before Paris.

Stage seven highlights:

Stage 8: Saturday July 11, Rennes - Mûr-de-Bretagne 179km

Tour de France profile stage 8

The tough category three climb at Mûr-de-Bretagne was always likely to test the GC contenders, and it was inevitable that someone would lose time on the leaders. In the event, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) lost 10 seconds to Froome in yellow as Alexis Vouillermoz took the stage win.

Stage eight highlights:

Stage 9: Sunday July 12, Vannes – Plumelec 28km

Tour de France profile stage 9

Such a late team trial was inevitably tricky for teams with riders already out of the race , and it was world champions BMC Racing who lived up to their billing as favourites with the stage win. Team Sky, however, were only a second behind, allowing Froome to hold onto the yellow jersey as the race prepares to head into the mountains for the first time.

Stage nine highlights:

Rest day: Monday July 13, Pau

Stage 10:  Tuesday July 14, Tarbes – La Pierre Saint-Martin 167km

Tour de France profile stage 10

Chris Froome stretched out a commanding lead on the first summit finish of the Tour on the new climb of La Pierre Saint-Martin on stage 10, putting minutes into all his rivals. The Sky leader attacked with 6.3km on the final climb with teammate Richie Porte coming in second behind the victorious Froome. Tejay van Garderen (BMC) remained second in GC, but his 12 second gap had become almost three minutes.

Stage ten highlights:

Stage 11: Wednesday July 15, Pau – Cauterets 188km

Tour de France profile stage 11

Rafal Majka (Tinkoff-Saxo) took victory on the mammoth stage 11 taking in the climbs of Aspin, Tourmalet and Cauterets. The Pole made his move from the day's main break up the breakaway, and comfortably soloed home on the 188k route to take his third ever stage win in the Tour. Chris Froome (Team Sky) retained the yellow jersey once again, while Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) lost even more time in what's turning into a disastrous Tour for the Italian champion .

Stage 11 highlights:

Stage 12: Thursday July 16, Lannemazen – Plateau de Beille 195km

Tour de France profile stage 12

On what was widely regarded as the Queen Stage of this year's race, stage 12 was not the explosive GC battle it may have been. Joaquim Rodriguez took a solo stage victory on Plateau de Beille, a 15.8km climb that has almost 1800m of ascent, as the overall contenders all arrived together 6-47 later. Thanks in no small part to the work of Sky teammate Geraint Thomas, Chris Froome retained the yellow jersey by the same margin over his nearest rivals.

Stage 12 highlights:

Stage 13: Friday July 17, Muret – Rodez 200km

Tour de France profile stage 13

Peter Sagan finished second for the fourth time this Tour as he missed out on the stage victory to Greg Van Avermaet . The breakaway was caught with less than 1km to go, and a large peloton containing most of the main sprinters hit the last climb up to the finish at Rodez.

As Van Avermaet pushed on for the finish line, Sagan sat on his wheel and many would have expected him to round the Belgian and take the win, but the BMC man proved too strong.

Chris Froome finished in sixth and comfortably retained the leader's yellow jersey.

Stage 13 highlights:

Stage 14: Saturday July 18, Rodez – Mende-Montée Laurent Jalabert 175km

Tour de France profile stage 14

A brutal climb to the finish in Mende – 3km at 10.1 per cent – gave the anticipated fireworks on a wonderfully exciting stage. A twenty-man breakaway was allowed to escape fairly early, and just when it looked as if the finale would come down to a two-way battle between Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) and Romain Bardet (AG2R), in slipped Steve Cummings (MTN-Qhubeka) to deliver MTN's first ever Tour stage win … on Mandela Day to boot. Behind the breakaway, Chris Froome put yet another second into Nairo Quintana, even as the Colombian moved up into second place.

Stage 14 highlights:

Stage 15: Sunday July 19, Mende – Valence 182km

Tour de France profile stage 15

German sprinter André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) took his third stage win of the 2015 race after the day's escape group were caught to set up a bunch sprint finish. Greipel won ahead of John Degenkolb (Giant-Alpecin) and Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) to claim his ninth Tour stage victory since 2011. Froome safely retained the race lead on a day where the overall contenders were happy for the sprinters to occupy the limelight.

Stage 15 highlights:

Stage 16: Monday July 20, Bourg-de-Péage – Gap 201km

Tour de France profile stage 16

Ruben Plaza (Lampre-Merida) took a first Tour de France stage victory after making a solo break on the Col de Manse on stage 16, as Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo) recorded a fifth second-place result of the race.

Chris Froome (Team Sky) retained the overall lead after his rivals pushed the pace on the descent of the final categry two climb, with Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) claiming back a handful of seconds as he tries to restore some pride in what has been a dismal Tour campaign for the Italian.

The biggest drama came as Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) crashed off the road on the descent , with Warren Barguil (Giant-Alpecin) running into the side of the Thomas as the Frenchman tried to overtake on a right hand bend.

Rest day: Tuesday July 21, Gap/Digne-les-Bains

Stage 17: Wednesday July 22, Digne-les-Bains – Pra-Loup (via the Col des Champs) 161km

Tour de France profile stage 17

A very mountainous day for the riders, that ended on the climb where Eddy Merckx effectively lost the 1975 Tour de France to Pra Loup. Chris Froome (Team Sky) successfully defended his 3-10 lead over Nairo Quintana (Movistar) as Giant-Alpecin's Simon Geschke soloed to victory from the day's breakaway.

The stage saw third place Tejay van Garderen (BMC) abandon the Tour after struggling with illness, while Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) lost a further two minutes on his rivals after crashing on the descent of the Col d'Allos.

Stage 18: Thursday July 23, Gap – Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne 185km

Tour de France profile stage 18

The breakaway stuck it out to the end for the sixth time in the Tour's last eight stages, as Romain Bardet (Ag2r-La Mondiale) soloed away from his fellow escapees 40km from home atop the Col du Glandon to glory.

The Frenchman held out over the aesthetically pleasing Lacets de Montvernier climb to take a famous victory ahead of compatriot Pierre Rolland (Europcar).

Meanwhile Chris Froome (Team Sky) wasn't called on too much by his GC rivals, holding on to his yellow jersey lead as he crossed the line with the likes of Nario Quintana and Alejandro Valverde of Movistar.

Stage 19: Friday July 24, Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne – La Toussuire 138km

Tour de France profile stage 19

The 19th stage of the 2015 Tour de France saw race leader Chris Froome (Team Sky) in real trouble for the first in the race, as he struggled to match the pace of Movistar's Nairo Quintana on the final climb to La Toussuire, with the Colombian taking 30 seconds out of the Brit's 3-10 lead going into the final mountain stage to Alpe d'Huez on Saturday.

No-one could catch 2014 Tour champion Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) on the third day in the Alps, as the Italian broke away on the Col de la Croix de Fer to solo up the final climb to stage victory .

Stage 19 highlights:

Stage 20: Saturday July 25, Modane – L’Alpe d’Huez 110km

An outstanding day's racing and a supreme display of climbing prowess saw Nairo Quintana push Chris Froome all the way - and even though the Colombian beat the Brit on the day, it was enough to seize the yellow jersey. Frenchman Thibaut Pinot won the stage and Quintana ate 1-20 minute out of Froome's overall lead - but Froome still has a 1-12 minute advantage with only the procession into Paris left in this year's race.

Stage 20 highlights:

Stage 21: Saturday July 26, Sèvres - Champs-Élysées, Paris 107km

Tour de France profile stage 21

Where else would the Tour finish? As Chris Froome enjoyed his ceremonial victory ride into Paris, the sprinters geared themselves up for one last daredevil finish — and it was Andre Greipel who claimed his fourth win of this year's Tour with a typically muscular finish.

Stage 21 highlights: 

Tour de France 2015 

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Jack Elton-Walters hails from the Isle of Wight, and would be quick to tell anyone that it's his favourite place to ride. He has covered a varied range of topics for Cycling Weekly , producing articles focusing on tech, professional racing and cycling culture. He moved on to work for Cyclist Magazine in 2017 where he stayed for four years until going freelance. He now returns to Cycling Weekly from time-to-time to cover racing, review cycling gear and write longer features for print and online.

Building onto its gravel and mountain collections, the Utah-based company aims to deliver “exceptional performance and comfort on every ride”

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Peak Design and The Roam Collective have partnered to offer the Roam Media Core Scholarship, which provides up-and-coming U.S.-based femme sports creatives with funding and industry connections.

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Tour de France Route, Stages and Results 2015

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Tour de France 2015: stage five – as it happened

Andre Greipel won the stage in a sprint from Peter Sagan and Mark Cavendish, Tony Martin retained yellow and Chris Froome stayed ahead of his GC rivals

• Read Barry Glendenning’s stage five report
• 8 Jul 2015 Stage five result
• 8 Jul 2015 Andre Greipel wins stage five!
• 8 Jul 2015 1km to go
• 8 Jul 2015 2km to go
• 8 Jul 2015 10km to go
• 8 Jul 2015 20km to go
• 8 Jul 2015 30km to go
• 8 Jul 2015 40km to go
• 8 Jul 2015 Stage five so far
• 8 Jul 2015 Intermediate sprint
• 8 Jul 2015 Standings before stage five
• 8 Jul 2015 What to look out for in stage five

Andre Greipel accepts his trophy and flowers, throws his arms in the air and affords himself a little smile. That’s it for now but stick around on the site for Barry Glendenning’s stage report and our video highlights. Thanks for reading and for all your emails, see you tomorrow for stage six, from Abbeville to Le Havre. Bye!

Stage five result

• Boasson Hagen

No huge shift at the top of the GC leaderboard but Peter Sagan picks up some bonus time after finishing second to climb above Tony Gallopin to fourth:

Nouveau classement général / New overall ranking. #TDF2015 pic.twitter.com/IVdl2CqZKf — Le Tour de France (@letour) July 8, 2015

That was a thrilling conclusion to a dramatic stage disrupted by several crashes on the wet tarmac from Arras to Amiens. Andre Greipel seized the 50 sprint points on offer to strengthen his grip on the green jersey while Tony Martin retained yellow, but Froome finished well in the lead group to maintain his advantage over his main GC rivals.

Andre Greipel wins stage five!

Kritstoff leads 200m out, head down powering towards stage victory with Cavendish on his shoulder. Cavendish can’t seem to haul him back... but Greipel can! He fires round the outside with Sagan on his tail and the German wins his second stage of the 2015 Tour de France . What an impressive steal from the Lotto rider.

Greipel is there, so is Cavendish, Kristoff is in position too. Who is going to make a move?

All the big names are poised for this bunch sprint, h old on to your hats. Who is going to grab stage five victory? Tony Martin is up there and will have the yellow jersey tomorrow. Michael Matthews, who has taken some hits today but continues to ride near the front for his team, has been awarded ‘most aggressive rider of the day’.

#TDF2015 Yet 5 kilometres! Good luck to the team and especially to @AndreGreipel in the bunch sprint! #liveyourdream #maillotvert — Lotto Soudal (@Lotto_Soudal) July 8, 2015

. @Etixx_QuickStep with seven riders on the right side. Uran is on the wheel of Cavendish. 4.8km to go. #TDF2015 — Etixx - Quick-Step (@Etixx_QuickStep) July 8, 2015

Team Katusha’s Alexander Kristoff is also in a good position to attack this stage victory, as is John Degenkolb. Reports from the finish is that they will be sprinting into a strong headwind.

The peloton is only 6km from the finish and Team Sky are well placed alongside Movistar at the front – GC contenders rather than the sprinters are currently leading the way but that may change very soon. Sagan in white, Greipel in green and Cavendish are all well placed.

“I’m wondering what on earth has happened to Richie Porte?” asks Luke Mckend. “Not even in the front bunch at the moment. If he cant keep on the relative flats what use will he be to Chris Froome in the mountains?”

Team Sky didn’t report him being caught up in the crash but he was seen having to chase back to rejoin the peloton on the tail of Thibaut Pinot, clearly struggling today.

We are closing in on the climax of stage five. Mark Cavendish is behind team-mates Mark Renshaw and Tony Martin in the yellow jersey. Lotto have now brought Andre Greipel towards the front making their intentions clear. Remember there are 50 green jersey points available for the winner of this stage.

And incredibly Thibaut Pinot is back in the main peloton once again:

. @ThibautPinot de retour dans le peloton / back in the bunch! #TDF2015 pic.twitter.com/IhPy2j7RKO — Le Tour de France (@letour) July 8, 2015

The tempo has noticeably increased at the front as faces harden . Michael Rogers and Matteo Tosatto stare ahead with focus as Alberto Contador slips in behind them. Astana, Sky and BMC are all there too. Mark Cavendish’s Etixx QuickStep team are a little further back, as is John Degenkolb’s Giant Alpecin riders: both will be eyeing this bunch sprint finish.

Jean-Christophe Peraud, who finished second last year, was another involved in that crash . Most of those involved have slowly rejoined the peloton and all appear to be back on their bikes at the very least. The incident started about halfway back in the lead group, so the main GC contenders were unaffected at the front.

“All of the main contenders’ teams are looking strong in this first week so far,” emails Tom Atkins, “as they seem to have picked their teams to deal with these stages and the TTT – I couldn’t have seen Sky picking all three of Thomas, Stannard and Rowe, for example, if the stages before the mountains were more straightforward. Does this mean that the leaders will be left isolated in the mountains because their teammates are too exhausted or too slow uphill to stay with them? Might make for some unusual racing situations.”

Poels and Konig were caught up but both look OK. 20km to go now & hopefully there'll be no more tumbles... #TDF2015 pic.twitter.com/EAAEdi3an5 — Team Sky (@TeamSky) July 8, 2015

Orica-GreenEdge director Matt White, doing post-crash triage: “Svein, you okay? Ah, of course you’re okay mate, you’re Svein Tuft.” #TDF2015 — Neal Rogers (@nealrogers) July 8, 2015

#TDF2015 very slick roads. @BaukeMollema not involved in that crash, it looked to be @laurent_didier but he is back in the peloton. — Trek Factory Racing (@TrekFactory) July 8, 2015

It looked like an FDJ rider that went down first, and certainly Thibaut Pinot was involved – yet another blow for the Frenchman. As one fell all those around him collapsed, several falling into the metal barriers to the side of the road. The majority of the peloton has continued and now a group of stragglers are attempting to reattach themselves to the pack. There don’t seem to be any serious injuries on first inspection.

This is a nasty crash involving perhaps 20 riders. The replay shows one rider on the far side lose control on the tarmac which must be feel like ice in these wet conditions. Chaos ensues as the teams dash to fix riders and cyclists.

Now 5mins clear, it is fair to say the winner of stage five is going to come from this lead pack, which includes Froome, Contador, Quintana, Nibali and Martin as well as the green jersey contenders.

“I count no less than 12 riders in the field as former participants in the Junior Tour of Wales,” Stuart Stanton emails. “Alex Dowsett, Dan Martin and Johan van Summeren are all winners with near misses from Geraint Tomas Peter Kennaugh and Edvald Boassen – Hagen…”

The peloton crosses the Canal de la Somme. The pace is reasonable but you sense it will crank up over the next 10km or so. Wind and rain could play a significant part to the climax of this stage and the chance of a thrilling sprint finish is still on the cards.

A flash of yellow heads to the front of the peloton as Tony Martin takes a short stint as leader.

#TDF2015 Closer and closer to the finish and probable massive sprint...35 km to go. — Katusha Team (@katushacycling) July 8, 2015

Still a 3min gap between the peloton and the secondary group and the crosswinds have not had the anticipated effect of breaking up the leaders. It feels like the calm before the storm as Team Sky, Movistar, BMC and Astana lead the way with Tinkhoff-Saxo in close attendance – 34km remain.

The peloton pass Notre Dame de Brebières , an impressive basilica in the town of Albert.

“Lawrence are they racing or is there an armistice in place?” asks Peter Milne. It’s wet but not to the extent where an armistice is in, though admittedly there are no serious surges of attack – it is all building towards a bunch sprint finish, but the strong crosswinds could break up this lead group of 60 before then.

“Hi Lawrence,” Ben McDonald emails. “Any chance of an update on the Irish riders, I saw on the tdf feed Nicholas Roche came off, all ok? Sam Bennett, riding his first tour may fancy a go today in a sprint? The Irish national broadcaster coverage is pretty poor at the best of times. I know [Barry] Glendinning is there, will he give us a celtic connection??”

Regarding Nicholas Roche, he looks in good nick near the front of the peloton working hard for Chris Froome with several Sky team-mates.

Here’s the Press Association on Nacer Bouhanni’s race retirement :

France’s Nacer Bouhanni abandoned the Tour de France after being taken away in an ambulance following a crash on Wednesday’s fifth stage. The sprinter, who was targeting stage wins and possibly the green jersey for the points classification, was caught in a crash with three team-mates and several other riders 18km into the 189.5km ride from Arras. Bouhanni was the only one who could not resume racing. “He was taken to a hospital for checks on his ribs, elbow and wrist,” his Cofidis sports director, Didier Rous, said. Bouhanni had sustained bruised ribs in a crash at the French national championships 10 days ago, only confirming his participation in the Tour at the last minute. The 24-year-old has three Giro d’Italia and two Vuelta stage wins to his name.

Swiss FDJ rider Steve Morabito falls but he’s back up quickly and chasing to rejoin the peloton.

Team Sky are well placed:

50km to go at #TDF2015 and @TeamSky are massed at the front of the 1st group protecting @chrisfroome . A large 2nd group are 3:14 behind. — Team Sky (@TeamSky) July 8, 2015

Stage five so far

There are around 50km to go in this 190km stage five from Arras to Amiens . It’s been another wet day punctured by several crashes, the worst of which ended Nacer Bouhanni’s participation in this year’s Tour, while New Zealand’s Jack Bauer has also abandoned the race. The peloton has split in two with the lead group of about 60 riders around 3mins clear of the secondary group and containing the main GC contenders. The riders pass an imposing war memorial dedicated to the memory of those who lost their lives in the Battle of the Somme as they make their way through Thiepval.

La bordure se confirme, le 2ème groupe est à 2'22" du peloton / The 2nd group is 2'22" behind the peloton #TDF2015 pic.twitter.com/kcvmFlLx6S — Le Tour de France (@letour) July 8, 2015

The peloton has built a 2min 40sec lead to the secondary group behind them. Team Sky have taken up residence on the right of the leading group with Froome tucked in amongst his team-mates. Movistar and Astana are up at the front too with Nibali and Quintana in tow. The riders will switch direction soon and head south, which will bring those strong crosswinds back into play.

#TDF2015 Who will win the stage? The finish line in Amiens is ready for it! pic.twitter.com/22auRmoHaG — Lotto Soudal (@Lotto_Soudal) July 8, 2015

Cavendish had suffered a puncture but team-work comes to the fore as they drag him back into the peloton. This main pack, which contains Froome, Martin, Contador, Nibali and Quintana, are around two minutes clear of the secondary group. 60km remain on route to Amiens.

Mark Cavendish has had a problem with his bike and Etixx QuickStep are quickly on the scene.

Moto has gone down on a lip of the road, but looks like he is already up. Mechanical for Cav, Vermote & Golas pacing him back. #TDF2015 — Etixx - Quick-Step (@Etixx_QuickStep) July 8, 2015

Renshaw has dropped back for @MarkCavendish #TDF2015 — Etixx - Quick-Step (@Etixx_QuickStep) July 8, 2015

Here’s something you don’t see too often: one of the motorcycles riding alongside the peloton gets stuck on a muddy, grassy verge and goes down. The riders swerve skilfully around him and the motorcyclist is back on his way: pride dented but otherwise OK, which in my book makes it alright to laugh, just a little.

• Tour de France 2015
• Tour de France

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Tour de France: Pinot lands huge win for France on l'Alpe d'Huez

Froome survives attack from Quintana on final day in the Alps

FDJ 's Thibaut Pinot soloed his way to victory atop l’Alpe d’Huez, stage 20 at the Tour de France , as Nairo Quintana (Movistar) finally showed what he can do, finishing second and picking up time on yellow jersey Chris Froome (Team Sky). Ryder Hesjedal (Cannondale-Garmin) was third.

Tour de France stage 20 quotes: Yellow jersey Froome elated, emotional on Alpe d'Huez

Froome showed more signs of weakness at this Tour, after he struggled in parts of the previous day's stage 19. He countered multiple attacks, but was unable to go with Quintana on the decisive move on the l'Alpe d’Huez. Quintana picked up over a minute as Froome finished fourth to secure the overall title.

Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) continued his downward trend, dropping out of the favourites’ group early on the final ascent. The worst luck had Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), who punctured at the very start of the climb, losing too much time to catch up with the lead again.

The race came down to a man-against-man showdown, and while Quintana reached the top of l'Alpe d'Huez and gained some time back, Froome held on to his overall lead and will wear the yellow jersey into Paris on Sunday. Quintana’s efforts came too late to make him a serious danger. He finished 1:20 ahead of Froome, and gained two seconds in bonuses. The day ended with the Colombian 1:12 down in GC, followed by his teammate Valverde in third at 5:25, Nibali fourth at 8:36 and Contador fifth at 9:48.

How it unfolded

It was the last day for most riders to accomplish anything, and a fearsome stage for many. The attacks started as soon as the flag was dropped. Alexandre Geniez (FdJ) was the first to jump, and seemingly half the peloton tried to join him. Within four kilometers, only Ramunas Navardauskas (Cannondale-Garmin) had caught up, and soon Nicolas Edet (Cofidis) and Lars Ytting Bak (Lotto-Soudal) were there as well.

The foursome outpaced a flurry of further attacks and took off. The stage had started with a long descent, and as soon as they hit bottom, the Col de la Croix de Fer loomed. The peloton slowed down and allowed the four to seek their fortune on the HC-ranked climb.

Sky moved to the front of the field as the lead group took a seven minute lead as they started the ascent. With an eight-minute gap, the field started its way up, with the favourites all together.

Almost immediately the attacks started out of the field, with Andrei Grivko (Astana) and Ruben Plaza (Lampre-Merida) were the first to stay away. They were soon joined by others, and ultimately a group of 10 was formed, most of them were soon caught again. Plaza, Winner Anacona (Movistar) and Rafal Majka (Tinkoff -Saxo) were able to hold on to 10 seconds ahead of the field, all roughly six minutes behind the leaders.

But they too were reined in again, with the gap down to under five and a half minutes. AG2R took over the lead work, holding the tempo high and preventing attacks in defense of Romain Bardet’s polka-dot jersey.

Geniez was the first to take off from the lead group and hope for the maximum points, and at the same time Movistar moved to the front of the chasing peloton, now less than four minutes back. The fearsome climb took its toll, as Bak dropped behind up front and further back, riders were being regularly shed by the field.

Alejandro Valverde was the first to go from the peloton. Chris Froome had only two helpers, Riche Porte and Nicolas Roche, and could only watch the Spanish champion pull away. He came into the stage in third place, but more than five minutes down.

And he was soon followed by Nairo Quintana. The Colombian was “hiding” back around sixth wheel before putting in a spirited attack. Again, Froome could only watch, and t didn’t help that Roche had to fall back almost immediately. Nibali and Contador clung to Froome’s rear wheel., and the three, with Roche and

The lead group had fallen apart and Geniez soloed to the top with Froome’ group 2:40 back. Contador had to drop on the way up and Quintana had to wait at one point for Valverde. Hesjedal moved up to catch Contador, and Nibali once again attacked.

That was too much for Froome, who finally turned on his speed, outpacing Nibali to the top. The Movistar duo was also caught and passed, and a loose group of the top favourites took the descent, no holds barred.

Things slowed down enough that Contador and Hesjedal caught the Froome group, as did a number of others, including a fresh supply of Sky riders. A new group of four – Hesjedal, Winner Anacona (Movistar), Ruben Plaza (Lampre-Merida) and Thibaut Pinot (FdJ) – pulled ahead of that group.

Geniez flew down the descent, his nearest followers nowhere in sight, more than a minute and a half back. AS he hit the valley, the Froome group was four minutes down.

The day’s only intermediate sprint came at the foot of Alpe d’Huez, and Geniez breezed right through it. The first group of followers ignored it equally, and rolled over the line as usual.

Geniez took 3.49 over Froome with him as he started on his way up Alpe d’Huez, with its 21 hairpin turns. Navardauskas was the first to pay for his efforts, dropping back from the chase group almost as soon as the ascent started.

Near-disaster for Nibali as he punctured at the foot of the climb. Three teammates dropped back immediately to try and pull him back to the field.

Quintana was the first to jump from the Froome group – or at least the first to make the attempt. The first time was unsuccessful, so he tried it again. Two Sky helpers caught him quickly, but a gap developed back to Froome. Poels stayed with Quintana and soon they were back again.

The road was, as to be expected, line with enthusiastic fans. One overly-enthusiastic fan reached out to grab Quintana’s saddle and push him along. Poels slapped at the fan, in an attempt to teach him to respect the riders.

Valverde then jumped, and was allowed to go. Third overall, his gap was large enough that it seemed unlikely he could really be of any danger. Logically enough, Quintana tried his luck moments later but again Poels pulled him back. Froome was at the end of the small group, and Contador fell back.

As Froome looked to be finally suffering, Quintana went again and joined Valverde. Porte and Poels had to slow to stay with their leader. It was a small gap, but it grew as the Movistar riders climbed easily while the yellow jersey showed weakness.

Geniez held on until 8km to go, where he had to drop back. Valverde soon could no longer keep up with his Colombian teammate, who was working his way up to another teammate, Anacona.

Contador dropped further back and was joined by Nibali at last. Quintana caught up with Anacona, less than a minute behind the leaders.

Hesjedal had tried earlier to dump Pinot, but was unsuccessful. The Frenchman later took off in a solo effort.

The fans crowding the road brought the race down to one lane, and fans spit at Froome, waved fireworks and generally endangered the race.

Quintana,, with some 30 seconds on Froome, took off with some 5km to go. Up out of the saddle, he picked up his speed, while behind him, Froome was unable to respond. He was now down to only one helper.

With 3 km to go, Pinot had 35 seconds on Quintana, and 1:37 on Froome. Quintana was still going great pace, catching and passing Hesjedal. His lead over Froome grew second by second. The road became less steep near the top, and Quintana seemed determined to make up the less than 30 seconds to the leader.

Froome lost Porte near the end, and was alone with Valverde. He was finally inspired to give his all, but it was too little too late, as he finished 1:20 behind Quintana – still enough to hold on to his GC lead.

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Tour de France 2015 Route stage 18: Gap – Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne

In 2010, Sandy Casar won the stage to Saint Jean de Maurienne. At the time, it was the first time the village was included in La Grande Boucle. This is contrast to Gap. For today’s departure town the Tour is almost a habit.

In stage 18 the Glandon is on the menu, but that’s not all, since the climbing party opens with the 2nd category Col Bayard and via a trio 3rd category climbs the pack closes in on a mountain with the little merry-provoking name Col de la Morte. However, the 2nd category is not as merciless as it may sound – 3.1 kilometres at 8.4%.

Col du Glandon With 125.3 kilometres done the riders touch base at the foot of the piece de resistance . And a piece the resistance it is, taking them in no less than 21.7 kilometres to the top of the Glandon at an elevation of 1,924 metres. The average gradient is 5.1% but that’s basically only (a minor) part of the story since this climb is extremely irregular. Varying between streches downhill and even two kilometers with an average grade of over 10%, the Glandon surely is not an easy climb to find a rhythm.

Finale Upon cresting the suffering seems to be over, but no, it isn’t. In 20 kilometres the riders descend to Pontamafrey-Pascal, at an elevation of 493 metres. Still 15 kilometres to go to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, located at 552 metres. Piece of cake and just a matter of hard racing? No. A vicious col is in between.

Les Lacets the Montvernier is 3.4 kilometres climb at 8,2%. Interesting to say the least, since in that short amount of time the riders are risking dizziness when dropping too quick. Les Lacets the Montvernier is something of a rollercoaster with eightteen (18!) hairpins. The first 1.5 kilometre rise at 8%, the next 1.5 kilometre at 9% and then it flattens out.

Once atop, a downhill and a few flat last few kilometres welcomes the riders. Beautiful finale!

Race results/stage report stage 18, Tour de France 2015.

Tour de France 2015 stage 18: Route maps, height profiles, and more

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Sprint | Laboutarie (92.5 km)

Points at finish, youth day classification, kom sprint (3) côte de saint-cirgue (131 km), kom sprint (4) côte de la pomparie (156.5 km), kom sprint (4) côte de la selve (167 km), team day classification, race information.

• Date: 17 July 2015
• Start time: -
• Avg. speed winner: 41.98 km/h
• Race category: ME - Men Elite
• Distance: 198.5 km
• Points scale: GT.A.Stage
• Parcours type:
• ProfileScore: 81
• Vert. meters: 2299
• Departure: Muret
• Arrival: Rodez
• Race ranking: 0
• Startlist quality score: 1812
• Won how: Sprint of small group
• Avg. temperature:

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